J.O.B

Benjamin had his first paying J.O.B. on Thursday.  A few weeks back there was some Facebook post about a video game company needing English speaking volunteers to test play one of their new video games. 
I replied to the ad and immediately got a reply that they typically don't have kids test the games but LOVED the idea that an 8 year old had the time and desire to come in.   They "payment" for his hour of volunteering his opinions on their game was to be a pizza, beverages and a 15 Euro Amazon gift card.  Benjamin would have trekked across the big city of Berlin to play an hour of video games for nothing but was thrilled to know he would be getting "paid"
It was the day of his class picnic so after a day of playing frisbee and on the playground at the park we rode our bikes to the Sbahn to commute into town for his first JOB.  He was really in good spirits.  He had told all of his friends at school about his cool after school opportunity. He was really proud.
After the Sbahn we hopped a bus to get us near the company headquarters.  We got a bit lost but eventually found it.  We walked in and there were about 25 hipsters working at their computers in an open concept type office that looks like it had been renovated from an old warehouse.

Wide open spaces and funky. We meet our contact and they usher us into a conference room.  They have two cups set out.  One regular glass for me and one plastic one with a cartoon character on it for Benjamin.  SO cute.  They were really trying to make him feel welcomed.  They had water set out and said his pizza would come shortly.  I had to sign some legal paper work and then they handed Benjamin a smartphone and asked him to play the game.
He took the phone and went to town.  There were no instructions given, he didn't even know the name of the game but he sat there for 45 minutes pushing buttons and tried to pop things with a "bubble shooter" he seemed to enjoy himself.  He smiled often and giggled a few times but mostly he was just intently trying to "win" or whatever it was that was the object.  Video games are really very truly lost on me.  This entire time the two designers or whoever they were were watching what he did with his fingers, which buttons he pushed and how he was able to navigate through the game.  They took over 2 pages of notes.
After about 45 minutes they asked his opinions on various parts of the game.  "There were animals in the game.  Did you like the animals?"  "Did they add to the gaming experience or would the game but just as good without them?"  "Did the bubble shooter work OK for you?"  "What could make the bubble shooter better?"  He answered all of their questions honestly. 

Then as we were about to leave they tell us that there was some mess up with the pizza and unfortunately it was not going to show up.  No bother at all.  They offered him a couple of pieces of chocolate and he was happy as a clam.  We left, hand in hand, to walk back to the bus.  I imagine his next paying J.O.B's will not end with him walking hand in hand with his mother.  So I treasured the time with my little guy who one day will have an actual job and not so much time for his mother!
He wasted no time in using his Amazon Gift Card.  He bought this gladiator costume with it (?!?!)  Seemed silly to us but it made him unbelievably happy.